Meadowbrook + Lee

About the Cedar Lee District

The Cedar Lee commercial district was established early in the 20th century, and is an ideal local shopping district for the residence of the nearby neighborhoods. It features one and two story mixed-use buildings, human scale and pedestrian oriented elements. 

The Project

This proposed building offered the opportunity to re-establish a place where the character of Cedar Lee vanished. It established a modern and vibrant presence on the street in the tradition of the two-story-storefront-style building. The first two floors maintain the street edge with a well detailed 2-story brick and storefront façade that continues the appearance of multiple buildings constructed over time. This is a critical component of the design because it allows a 200’ building to maintain the pedestrian intimacy found on the rest of the street. Unifying these storefronts is a two-story residential element that forms the cover for a new outdoor community space. This space became a quiet resting place for pedestrian shopping, working on the street, coffee, and performances. Integral to the building design, was a green-space and sustainable building practices. The building demonstrates the best practices of sustainable development within an urban environment, and those that respect and hold the values of Cleveland Heights close. It will not just be a building that fills the void in Lee Road; rather, it will become a place where the people of Cleveland Heights meet.